The field of the invention generally relates to in-seat functions and features for vehicles, and more particularly, to systems and methods for pairing a passenger's personal electronic device with a passenger seat using a light identification communication such that the personal electronic device can be used to control passenger in-seat functions and features such as entertainment systems (e.g., video/audio programming), comfort systems (e.g., seat adjustment), and environmental systems (e.g., air conditioning) in vehicles.
Many vehicles of common carriers, such as airplanes, passenger trains, buses, cruise ships, and the like, have individualized functional equipment dedicated to a particular passenger seat which can be utilized by the passenger, such as adjustable seats, adjustable environmental controls, adjustable lighting, telephony systems, video and/or audio entertainment systems, crew communication systems, and the like. For example, many commercial airplanes have individualized video and audio entertainment systems, often referred to as “in-flight entertainment” or “IFE” systems.
As one example of a passenger seat function, the entertainment systems for passenger carrier vehicles, such as commercial airlines, often have video displays installed at each passenger seat. For instance, video displays may be provided at each passenger seat, such as mounted at each of the seatbacks of the passenger seats, and/or on cabin walls and/or deployable from an armrest for seats located at a bulkhead, i.e., in the first row of a section. Many of these systems allow each passenger to select from multiple video channels and/or audio channels, or even individually select and play videos from a library of videos. These video displays may also provide access to games, communication applications (e.g., telephone service, messaging, etc.), internet browsing, and other computer applications. Sometimes such displays are referred to as smart monitors due to the ability to provide computer applications and process and store data internally.
To operate the seat functions, such as an individualized audio/video system, controls are provided on or near the passenger seat that allow the passenger to control the seat functions. The controls may be physical buttons, or on-screen interfaces displayed, for instance, on the video display of the entertainment system. For example, some commercial airplane entertainment systems have on-screen interfaces for controlling a reading light, activating a crew member call signal, as well as controlling the audio/video entertainment.
It has become quite commonplace for travelers to carry personal electronic devices having wireless communication capability, such as cellular phones, smart phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, and other portable electronic devices. This includes passengers traveling on all types of transportation including the vehicles of common carriers, such as airplanes, passenger trains, buses, cruise ships, sightseeing vehicles (e.g., ships, boats, buses, cars, etc.). Many of these personal electronic devices have the capability to execute application software programs (“apps”) to perform various functions, including controlling other devices and systems.
Accordingly, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0017915 to Hennequin, et al., has proposed establishing a communication link between a mobile electronic device of a passenger with a local base installed in the aircraft and associated with a particular seat. The mobile electronic device can then control various functional equipment via the communication link using a control software application installed on the mobile electronic device. A pairing of the mobile electronic device to the local base is performed when the mobile electronic device is placed in the proximity of the local base using near field communication (“NFC”), Bluetooth or Apple iBeacon™, or by scanning a barcode on the local base using an optical component of the mobile electronic device. However, this method allows anyone to pair their mobile electronic device with the local base for the particular seat and control the functional equipment for the seat, even if such person is not assigned to and/or sitting in such seat.
Similarly, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0017915 to Ayotte proposes establishing a communication link between a mobile electronic device of a passenger and an NFC terminal installed at a particular seat in the aircraft. The NFC module is connected to a central passenger communication system. Pairing of the mobile electronic device to the passenger communication system is accomplished by the mobile electronic device sending a message having registration information (e.g., a PIN) to the passenger communications system via the NFC terminal. The passenger communications system then validates the registration information, such as by comparing the PIN to an expected PIN or to information corresponding to the PIN stored in the passenger communications system. The mobile electronic device can then control various functional equipment via the communication link using an interface having a menu or list of services and features presented to the passenger on the mobile electronic device.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,806,521 to Keen, et al., has proposed pairing a passenger's mobile electronic device to a vehicle in-flight entertainment system by displaying a barcode on the video display at a particular passenger seat and scanning the barcode with a camera in a passenger's personal electronic device. The system is limited to providing and redeeming an in-flight coupon, and does not control any seat functions using the personal electronic device. Moreover, it is undesirable to utilize the display of in-flight entertainment system for pairing because it may be turned off, not installed, or otherwise unavailable (such as during the display of messages or other content).